The Best Art of Finding Your Love 2
by VHField
Summary: Ying-release builds the form and Yang-release infusees vitality. Who would ever think Naruto and Sasuke could have a child? Luckily though, a child of miracle came to their world. NaruSasu.


The Best Art of Finding Your Love(2)

 _Naruto_ fan-fiction

Uzumaki Naruto X Uchiha Sasuke

Original title: 《择偶标准》

written by +EuthanasiA+

translated by VHF

The original story link: htt（）p:/justn（） （） post/1cf4c（）ab8_b74ff14

1

"...ah."

Wall-baming Sasuke by the corner, Naruto halted for a few seconds and gave a newly awakened sigh.

"Hm?"

"...well Sasuke,"there were already tears by his rims of eyes, " I think we forgot a very critical thing..."

"Haven't paid for gas? "

"Nooooooo! " Naruto cried as some drops of tears splashed onto Sasuke's face, "The condom! The condom tebayo!" He straightened up desperately and pointed at their baby son sleeping with lips mumbling in the dream. "If we can't figure out how to prevent pregnancy, just in a decade's round, I bet, we'll have our descendants all in the ninja academy! "

"Oh, I thought you would like that, won't you? " Sasuke blinked, "By the way you remind me of it, that we have condoms."

"What Sasuke—yes I do! I like that! But never come again the delivery of a baby and so forth - dattebayo!" The seventh Hokage moaned, pulling his hair, infuriated, "I don't believe those will work—probably they can't prevent Yin-Yang Release at all!"

"I got the Kabuto latest invented condom for chakra use."

By then Naruto muted as he blinked sheepishly at his partner. He had just been saved from the irritating fantasy of the sexless future life with Sasuke, well, by the condoms—from the bloody hell subordinate of Orochimaru. He was at a loss whether to yell long live or something.

"Is it the snake-head shape?"

"Nope."

"Oh thanks goodness! " Naruto stopped weeping and exclaimed, "Let me see please please please!"

"Haven't arrived yet."

"..."

"Kabuto told me he had finished a week ago, but his boss said condoms are futile as there should have been more Uchihas delivered to the world; that's why Kabuto wasn't able to reject the idea and send them—" Sasuke interrogated, "but Kabuto thinks if there were too many Uchihas, the military balance of the five countries will be destroyed."

Naruto: "...Sasuke you know what you're saying?"

"I know. The carrier is on the road, and one month is needed in the least."

Naruto's tears started running again. He beheld his crotch,staring at the pale collarbone of the neck beneath the stoic dark cloak, feeling sorry for himself.

Uchiha Sasuke had a clear sense what the blond was thinking and remained cool. Then, he refused him directly, "Impossible for today. " and he looked up at the clock. "Time to prepare the milk. "

On saying that, he was about to push Naruto away. Unfortunately, the neurotic system in the prosthesis hadn't fitted well, and he could only see his hand, in stiff motion, encircled Naruto's chest, then turning back to the back-neck and pressed him down instantly. Before Sasuke could realize what happened, he came into facing Naruto eye-to-eye. Their noses rightly met with each other, as their inner self commented, oh, he's so cute.

It was Naruto who finally broke the ice:

"... you moved on your own, again?"

"...shut up."

Menma timely giggled in the dream. At that moment they are still staring at each other, and they couldn't help but laugh.

"Hehe, I'll go preparing the milk, and after that... I mean hand job...shall we?"

"...okay."

2

—Three days later—

Naruto: "Has it come?"

Sasuke "Not yet."

—Another three days later—

Naruto: "Has it come?"

Sasuke: "Not yet."

—A week after—

"Urrrrrrrrghhhh! WHY THE HELL IT HASN'T COME! "

"Shut up usuratondachi! One month! I told you! " Sasuke interrupted impatiently, trying to seat Menma up, who had just been changed the nappy. Menma was making rumbles intently, waving his chubby hands in the air, by the time he showed great interest in Sasuke's side hair. As Naruto tried in vain saving that strand of hair from the baby's hand, he had a miserable awareness, that it's time to take actions.

"Coming coming coming coming -Da-ttebayo!"

Another three days later, a group of kagebunshins roared in uplifting a big baby in Naruto's arms had never seen so many dads, and he turned his eyes from Naruto himself to the orange tussled outdoors. His blue eyes were filled with terror and near to tears.

Naruto gave Menma to Sasuke and ran away yelling, joining the crowd of unwrapping the box. "Sasuke I told you modern postal service's not that efficient! Kagebunshin no jutsu should be the first choice I dare say! "by the time kagebunshins popped off in the smog, he stood up, holding the box over his head and extolled "O—praise the Science I see the Light! "

(Kabuto: have you ever thought of the decency of a respectful scientist, who was forced to keep on night shift for making condoms?! )

Menma mimicked his dad: he lifted his little hands over the head and clucked something incomprehensible.

Sasuke said softly: "...I'll get him to sleep."

"Not big deal." unlike the excited tone he had expressed just now, he lowered his voice and came near to the raven step by step. He took a slip on the margin of the wrapper, of which the slow motion seemed to Sasuke long and enduring, a start of carnival out of the interdiction. A white creamy part revealed from the margin, and the hard round circle looked remarkably large. He sat onto the sofa by Sasuke, and whispered in his reddening ear: "You are turned on, aren't you?"

Sasuke frowned and breathed heavily, refusing to see the stuff in his hand. Naruto took his ear by lips and gave a long, wet lick over its tip. "Would you be so kind...as to help me wear it, ne?"

"I never did it...I could try and...no promise..."

Naruto chuckled, as he stretch out a hand consoling Menma by Sasuke's chest, his lips lingering on his neck, trying to create a wet sticky sound. Under the blond's harassment, Sasuke stirred and moaned.

"Don't worry Sasuke...you are genius...you learn quick..."

Merrily, Menma snuggled Naruto's fingers and made slurred mumbles; his eyelids got closing up and at length he drifted off.

"Look, "Naruto righted the heated face to meet his own, and his tongue commenced invading in, "what a lovely child..."

—从这里开始截—

As he never fail to like, he slowly thrust onto the hot, rigid erection, swallowing it with his pale-skinned body. As he straddled on Naruto, his head rolled back. The bandaged prosthesis held him up on the other man's thigh, whilst his left hand rested on his own belly—a habit deriving from when he was bearing a baby, and never changed ever since, but Sasuke had never been aware of it, not even afterwards. Naruto looked up, and was stirred by the frank body reaction. The hand, half concealing, half protecting,rested on the belly, where a child had been in. Now this part had recovered, and the miracle child, is sleeping in the baby coddle at bed end, but comparing to that they seemed too anxious to wait —totally nonsense, on thinking of that, Naruto felt his erection threatened to explode. Sasuke moaned, and his soft hips ground against Naruto's waist; his hair dripped down, his narrowed eyes penetrated naked eager. He furtively looked through the reddening fingertips, Sasuke breathed irregularly, as the wet orifice went softer and tighter.

Sasuke could felt his sweat running down along his body, his spirit dissipating by the continuous pounding. His tightened legs began shuddering and he felt he could fall at any time. Inside his body the throbbing erection, with every vein, kept torturing him, as his motion grew more sticky and heavier. He gasped fast, wiggling on that stuff tremulously, only to find Naruto, with his eyes lit like a predator, was suppressing the beastly low voice under the throat, and in this fact he began to tremble. He was in such a hurry, that at the very first beginning he applied such a position—with well suitability as their bodies were, the sensibility seemed to reach a incredibly high level, and he cannot endure the precise action any longer—he was coming, any stimulation would be unacceptable. His head backed up, eyes staring at the ceiling vaguely, and in his mind Naruto's bare needful glare was to drive him crazy. No, he thought, I can't let him look at me like this...

"—come on. " a hand encircled him unceremoniously, and the other hand, however, lifted up one of his legs, before the raven lost his balance, Naruto pressed him in an particular angle. "Let me see., how you masturbate eagerly with my cock..."

"No I can't... help me, I —ahhhhhh!"

Following the helpless and sudden cry, an unexpected shudder went out compactly from the tip of the penis. Naruto was too surprised as he blinked at Sasuke, whose neck straightened up, and both nipples, however, came harder for the acute orgasm, and even the fingertips were trembling, which looked lovely. The white hot spouted out from the shivering pink hard, as it were, sprayed over the blond's forehead, and trickled down slowly to the eyelid.

The oncoming orgasm hadn't ended; Naruto could feel the flesh clinging on him trembled, as Sasuke let off weeps and moans. Obviously, the raven now took on a different look far from the stoicism one he had constantly worn. The idea of taking a peek was driving the blond mad, and he sat up, grabbing Sasuke's waist and intruded in more violently. His sensitive body had split down the back with erotic passions, while the blond sent in his fervent thrust in repeatedly, until some leaks of moans came out again, shivering as it could not hold more.

Sasuke hadn't recovered from the aftertaste, and was pounded in once more by the throbbing hard, cried for his pulling back. All in a sudden, Sasuke quivered, gripping the hand on his waist, shaking his head violently. Before Naruto could realize what happened, he felt Sasuke relaxed, and climbed up his erection warmly, the liquid came out from behind the raven's body.

Naruto slowed down, shocked, only to see Sasuke, whose eyes lost focus and chest breathed hard, was tortured by the newest sensation, and certainly the raven was remunerating.

"Sasuke, just then, what is it ? ...the ejaculation I mean? "

"...how could it... be..."

"Ha ha, " Naruto grinned joyfully, as every syllable imprinted into his ears. His mind was shaking, and he could not but bit his lower lip. Gently he lifted up the raven as the erection nearly slipped out from his bottom . "Oh, you behave better after pregnancy...on you being so excellent, I should be more diligent, dattebayo— "

The next thing Sasuke knew, Naruto thrust back again. So deep, so hard, where is it—where had it arrived? He arched up, endeavour to escape from the ministration. But Naruto pulled him back with great force, letting him grinding on his turgid length. There were already no sensitive spot anymore—the fudgy flesh he tried in vain defending the thrust. Everywhere Naruto had touched is too comfortable to drive him crazy. If the blond doesn't stop, he would probably go mad—

"Wait—stop, wait , please... ah..." Sasuke lost words, but showing weakness to the limit. Naruto was pushing him, he was aware, and he seemed never tired of doing that. The warm wet tongue licked over his hardening nipple, and finally covered his throat. He heard near his neck a husky voice:

"... it's your time to choose. Honestly, tell me, where do you want me to touch? I'll do you a favour... "

In between each thrust he heard his heart thudding against the ribs. My body has changed? How could it be? For giving birth to a baby? As Naruto said so, he looked happy; kind of different for giving him a baby? Sasuke could hardly catch up his own breath, reeling at the fact coming into his brain. He felt something heated touched his face. It was Naruto's hand, on his cheek, massaging the wet lips and dipped in, making a wet but clear sound. Sasuke was still groggy, but his tongue began to acclimatize. He moaned, and deliberately put his finger into Naruto's mouth, who, in turn, smiled back with the white spark on face, sucked the finger softly, as he sent another thrust into Sasuke.

In his liquefied mind there was nothing but the fervent sensation. He barely realized that this guy was too bold to break in his life, talk dirty and look down on him... lightly he clenched his teeth, and as Naruto felt his fingertip was bit with pain, he heard the other man's threat.

"...you listen, you'll have to choose as well—touch me if you like, at your satisfaction, usuratonkachi..."

"We need to do something"

"...oh?"

They lay on the bed side by side, naked, drowning in the aftermath of sex. And the trash can was fulfilled with condoms.

"Speaking of Menma" mumbled Naruto, " he need us to look after...but it seems not very good to child's education if he stays with us in the same room... when he grows up, he'll need a single room—it never occurred to me that we'll have a child... "

"How about the house distributed to Hokage?" Sasuke burrowed himself in his arms, and asked softly.

"It is on schedule, and some time after I'll have the privilege to select a site, how do you like it?"

Sasuke bent his head, and meditated.

"Nothing special." he answered, and turned his back at Naruto, who could only see hickeys all over his neck, "we'd better plant a sakura tree in the yard, like this one."

"Hehe, you have such a kink on sex, so interesting ttebayo~"

"You like it too, don't you?"

Naruto agreed his remark, and took a stride to kiss his neck, deliberately making a loud sound.

—到这里结束—

3

"It's just a C level mission, dobe." with half snort, half despise he looked at Naruto, who was snuggling his son while gripping firmly on his sleeve. "He will come back the day after tomorrow, don't be so epic-tragic. "

"But it's the first mission for him though!" Naruto exclaimed with tears, "And I have the memory you know! No any S level mission is harder than the first mission taken by a genin! What's more, in his team there is no Jinchuriki anyway, and if he was injured no one could save him like I did to you! "

Menma tossed an unutterable glance at Sasuke, which, as it were, annoyed him.

"I remember you allocate this mission by yourself. " Sasuke, with eyebrows frowned, was checking over his son's backpack. Kunais were well-bladed, and Shuriken, didn't rust as well. The explosive tags, in many sizes, was bought from Tenten. In the bottom of the bag he took out a metal string and hummed with satisfaction. "Let alone a Hokage, at the convenience of his position, had distributed a investigation group to know the commander's trust records, and for some reason, there were no tax payers of Konoha rebelling against him, for he was too powerful. "

"In peaceful age , they are idle, and need some work to do, surely... and you are supposed to be the only tax payer to be capable of beating me." Naruto burrowed himself on Menma's shoulder, gripping at his sleeve, gloomy.

"Sasuke doesn't look like the one in need of paying taxes." Menma gloated.

—He never did. Naruto uttered in mind—but he gave me a child, and that's all it worth.

"I don't, exactly. A Genin's income doesn't even reach the basic line—anyway your tools are well prepared. " Sasuke passed the backpack to Menma. "Will you please stop hugging him? Go to sleep."

Time for the gathering was never late. However ninja the job was changing, some rules remained the same. Five early in the morning, Menma packed all his luggage lightly, and in one stride was leaving, as he heard the bedroom door clipped open, and his dad Naruto, in pajama, sneaked out to the kitchen to fetch the prepared Bento box.

"Forgot to give you, here." Naruto lowered his voice. "Sasuke made it himself, but no matter what he didn't feel like giving it to you in person... you may as well share it to anybody in your team! "

Menma were absorbed in watching the red-and-white Uchiha kamon embroidered on the dark blue cloth that wrapped the Bento box, and he shared his observation cheerily with his father.

"Then...I gotta go! " Menma didn't move, but stood before Naruto with hesitation.

However confident he could have been beforehand, he was not able to escape the unnerved feeling for a first time experience. Naruto stared at his son, the child in dark hair and blue eyes—by merely an instant, the child grew into a teenager, and the next moment Menma would enter the world, as he and Sasuke used to do, where there was no asylum, and the only capable weapon was to fight the battle with his wit, instinct and integrity.

"Oh, Don't be so unnerved! In those occasions, remember what we have told you: stay calm,and cherish your partners, find help from your Neji sensei if necessary—"

Positively as he repeated the declaration, he was not sure, what on earth is about being a ninja? That minds and souls were constantly deriving down by generations, is aiming at praying for a forever life of family being together... Had his son any choice? For he's the son of Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, he is obliged to become a ninja better than they were? How would it make sense?

"Yes sir! " Menma responded aloud. "I swear, you'll both be proud of me!"

Naruto watched the blue eyes, stunned at his declaration.

He had been going forward, by instinct, from innumerable deathly battles he survived, to constructing his image other people prone to admire, turning into a decent, unbreakable idol. He was the one chasing after his dream, no matter how he was injured, melancholy never struck him. The young, innocent Uzumaki Naruto, as a ninja, regarded death as the end of life, which seemed to him a nonetheless reasonable thing. Even if he didn't go back , there were no family members mourning for him.

As time goes by, he realized, that being a child of the strong he was destined to be admired and worshiped, and in return he ought to protect all people. Never did anyone tell him, that you don't have to be so desperate, and doesn't matter if you were not a comic hero. You could flee for you're fear; you could cry for you feel the pain. Never had anyone told him, that it's not big deal if you lose. Nobody, compared to victory, was more longing than seeing him back. And in an unutterable sense, to a child, victory is the only access to his dream, and if he ever lost, he could not even grab a bit of his future. As for death, it's a personal matter, though, and no one cares, as long as he kept forward, till the will of fire burnt out.

At first with aloof and fancy idea, and a headband on his head, for the first round he stepped out Konoha village, and started the life as a ninja.

If I couldn't live until I became a Hokage, to die in the mission is nonetheless honourable. If... they would be so kind as to carve my name on the monument... all that were definitely true, and nothing will change. Because ninjas are born to be so...

—Until one day, a child, who was all the time endeavour to survive, for saving him out, stood before him.

—I must have been afraid from then on.

From then on I was aware that the name carved in the stone didn't worth a penny. Lying in my arms, it was him. I watched him in a fight, and he never failed to act fast and decisive, but similarly his body was so light. Will you take the one sacrificing himself, for a sole name on the stone? Will you ask me to earnestly feel relieved, for his life being so short as a ninja?

Much more than those destructive jutsus, there are more things I should teach Menma.—no, he uttered, and huddled Menma closer in his arms. So much as what being a ninja means, and what obstacles should be overcome for becoming a better ninja, other than strong force? It occurred to him the contemporary new inventions, and technology is in the succession of replacing old jutsus. He witnessed an era is passing away, and all those respected sacred force will become a myth someday in the future. Naruto couldn't, in fact, understand those young people growing up in this generation. Therefore, what should he teach his son?

—I have been a father for twelve years, but I am still a folly, inarticulate vulgar. But I must tell ,although silly it may be, and cowardly as it could have seen, I won't feel ashamed confessing it to Menma, for he is our child. I must inform him all as I could.

"Losing face, whatever, is not big deal. We don't mind it, anyway..." slowly he collected his thoughts, pressing his hands on Menma's shoulder. "Menma, to win is hero, but to lose as well. Even if your rival know who you are, challenging you with the names of Naruto and Sasuke, you don't have to take it into your mind. So long as you come back, Sasuke and I , will teach you more... therefore... therefore... "

Menma, like what Sasuke used to do to Naruto, patted at the back of his head.

"I'll be back." Menma responded shyly. "Don't cry Naruto—I promise...This is my home, why don't I come back? "

He hugged his child. He said, go well all the way.

4

Naruto slipped into the bed as Sasuke retrieved lightly.

"You are awake, aren't you?" Naruto blew breath by his ear with attractive croak from the morning.

Sasuke remained silent, but his breath was apparently relieved. Naruto barged in to encircle him into his arms, saying sweet into his ears, would you be franker as to show your feeling, I know you're worried; you looked terribly sad on your son's leaving ...

"...it's gross hearing you crying like a baby. Let alone he is your child, thus I have nothing to worry about..."

"Great answer! " he suggested, as he shoved over the raven as the other man hadn't had his eyelids open. He smoothed away the bangs of the raven, and clipped their forehead together. "You and me, our child... I know... I know... nothing to worry about..." The early morning brought its cold smell, whereby in the bed where he could sense his lover-nothing could be more consoling than that... his voice leveled down, as his arms tightened Sasuke closer.

Sasuke had his eyes open this time, and under the dim vision he saw a sound face and whisker marks. He investigated him up and down, and scratched Naruto's dark circles lightly.

"You have stayed up too much this month." he grunted.

"Well...yeah... today is my holiday, then."

"Seriously, in the weekdays? Oh of course, Menma is not at home today. "

"Hehe."

"Hn."

You can't imagine how a child couldn't resist the food. Not in a short while, he wrapped off a rice ball, taking a nibble and ate along the way.

Bonito flavour, exactly.

5

The evening sky blazed with colours.

Sasuke tossed a bundle of noodles into the boiler, and crossed his hands watching the foams floating strings by strings on the surface. Then he heard the door cracked open, and the dumping of the backpack, following with a string of footsteps approaching. He split the noodles by chopsticks, and when he turned round, Menma had come to the kitchen, watching him with a lighted face.

"I come back, dad! " the child exclaimed happily.

Full length of body, with no blood smelt, and the only wound was on the nose, and well concealed by the bandage—though messy as a muddy monkey. All in all, he appeared to be a model ninja having finished his C level mission.

Sasuke mopped on his apron.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks, dad, I'll go showering!" as he took a stroll from the kitchen, momentarily he rushed back and gave him a unexpected hug. "Sasuke, wait for me back; I'll help you prepare the dishes!— "

Sasuke watched him disappearing at the end of the passage.

The stained apron was tossed away on the table. He turned back and snapped a string of noodle testing the adequacy. The front door cast a strong thud, as a clamant voice came nearer. Naruto had just come back from work, and with his hokage robe on, he broke into the kitchen.

"Sasuke! Menma had come back! Didn't he!"

"Wup." Sasuke blurred, as the noodle still hang out on his lips. "He's well—someone is singing in the bathroom."

"Great! " Naruto yelled, "wait my comeback; I'll wash my hands, and help you prepare the dishes—"

As he took a stride outside, he slipped back foxily, and encircled his waist stealing a light kiss from the raven, biting off the noodle hanging on the lower lip.

"Err—hard still though! Two minutes more is needed I guess? Fishcake, very much thanks! "

As he resumed his request he ran to the bathroom, along the way his calling for Menma was clearly audible. Sasuke gazed at his phantom casting away , and at last he touched his lips, throwing another a stick of fishcake into the pot.

"Let me tell you—I saw the so-called Naruto bridge after all— " Slurping the ramen, Menma boasted blissfully.

"Ow!—" Naruto crimsoned at all. Sasuke remained unmoved, but he thought it's time to do something and wiped Menma's mouth.

"What?!—what a memory I could hardly remember!—you're not supposed to be so calm Sasuke!"

"I went there once already, no wonder."

"When did you go?! I haven't gone to the country of nami ever since. I really miss it—gosh you never told me, and now, I become the only one left out from a visit there , oh dear—how is it? Is it great? "

"Fascinating! " Menma muttered, "After the mission, Shikadai took a photo of me on the bridge, and he said it's a photo of a love site and love token of our dearest Hokage—"

"But the token is not you."

"Eh—?"

"How do you know it isn't him? So by the way...what is it?"

"Hn."

"Sasuke let me help you, tomato sauce on your lip—"

"What for?" Sasuke tossed a glance at him.

"...Can I wipe it?"

"Nope."

"Why?!"

"Son' s watching us."

"What are you talking about? Wiping the mouth's absolutely non-adultness!" Naruto protested.

'Oh, is that all? ONLY A HAND? "

"... I suppose... a hand is also one of the choice."

"Fine."

Menma bent down the table and sent Shikadai a text message:

' A 32 year-old couple are tormenting me, supposing I'm the only bachelor here— '

After the action, the 32 year-old couple required him to stop playing on the phone at dinner.

As he said sorry in accordance, he took a glimpse at the screen.

"My father says they have been like that for two decades round. Bear it, dude, since a ninja should bear all the time."

6

"What's it?"

"Ramen."

"I know it is ramen, " Naruto watched him taking out the ingredients from the shopping bag. "What are they? Ramen...miso, eggs, cutting board, and kitchen knife? Pots?"

Sasuke passed out the knife to him. "I'll cook dinner. Help me wrap it off."

"Oh...oh." He looked vaguely, but his hands wasn't resting, meanwhile he looked up. "Sasuke—you're cooking?!"

Otherwise I have to eat cup noodles with you all my life? No way.

"Ramen for two people, how much it should be?" taking out quite a few noddles Sasuke requested. Naruto had just done the first chopping mission for his life time, and with the wet kitchen knife he shook his head.

Fine. With desperation he throw in all the bundles. Naruto had his jaw dropped, incredulously stared at the stove—he'd been living in the loft for years round, old and broken as they are, three in four stoves had stopped working. And the only one for boiling the water, however, was lit up with great effort. Sasuke sighed, as he snatched the knife staggering from Naruto's hand.

"Well...how long will it take?"

"Till it soaks. Tie up my left sleeve,in case it gets dirty."

"Oh... how long will it take to cook it?"

''Don't hurry. " Sasuke sprawled his chopsticks onto a slice of ramen, blew it and took a slice. His concentration and the action hitched him. "One more moment. "

They stood side by side staring at the same pot. The golden noodles revealed its nuance in the boiling water, and the water, dis, giving off the relaxing scent of cereals. He jetted a stealthy look at his empty sleeve, reminded of some years discreetly, when they were having a desperate fight with each other. But right away, they're standing together by the same stove, with one boiling the noodles, and the other chopping the vegetables. On the table there's already two pairs of chopsticks and two bowls had been settled. Naruto his face burning hot, and under his obscure heart there was a secret about to fly out.

Tonight, after dinner, he was going to do something magic. He sneaked into his pocket, and fumbled out a screwed marriage acquisition form. In the afternoon Kakashi gave it to him with content, saying this is the first document ever with both male selections, and Naruto deserved it! Come on Naruto!

The moment he got it, he filled the blanks of his part, for a second thought he filled Sasuke's half as well, only a personal signature needed now.

Meanwhile, he heard the water bubbled out, he inclined to look in, only to see the ramen had floated in the soup, and the water was spilled everywhere.

"Sasuke—Sasuke! Oi! What the hell are you thinking?! "

Sasuke stared vaguely into the air, whose mind was apparently wandering somewhere. As soon as Naruto yelled at him, he quivered and recovered. And his hand, however, shoved onto the hot water.

"You—" on witnessing his unconscious of injury, Naruto gripped at his wrist furiously. "Be careful if you may!"

"...Shut off the fire!" suppressing his anger, Sasuke roared.

Naruto looked angrier than him. As the demanding eyes fixed at him, he flipped off the fire with indignation, and pulled him from the stove to cure him with his chakra. "You're not supposed to be so heedless, or just be prepared to eat cup noodles with me later on! You were clever enough to survive the Ninja war, but how could you be so careless and hurt yourself in such trifles? "

Sasuke bit his lower lip as he watched the orange chakra tread in his flesh, and the wound is recovering within eyesight.

"I can't bear it—" he burst out, teeth gritted.

"Sorry?"

"I said I couldn't stand it! " he flushed all over in a sudden, throwing words on Naruto. He stripped off Naruto's hand. Then he fumbled out a folded paper and flipped it into Naruto's face. "I won't run into such a relationship with you any longer, usuratonkachi! —sign it, or get out! "

Naruto's head buzzed and too stunned to utter any words. Before he had any time finding out where the indignation came from, he was attracted by the paper.

It was a marriage application form, where Sasuke had filled his part.

Naruto took it over with curiosity as he glanced at the title several times— Marriage Application Form for Konoha in the State of Fire.

He looked up, only to meet the glowering eyes and the raven's earlobe had run to crimson.

"Sasuke" he proceeded.

The raven clenched his fist.

Hesitating, Naruto fumbled out a form as well, and placed it before him weakly. "Great, but I think mine would be better, since only a signature needed... I don't have to rewrite my part then."

There was a sudden hush, and Sasuke was surprised at their consensus.

"...take out the noodle, it's time to put in the ingredients. " he quavered in the spot.

"Do you sign it? " with a different tone the blond inquired.

"Will you please..."

"Sasuke, will you sign it?"

"..."

He took a stride at the raven, and clapped their foreheads together. Fastening their hands, he resumed, "Sasuke."

A long silence went by, when he saw the wet on the paper, a drop of water. Two. Three. Gradually the blank signature column went totally wet and messy.

As he heard the answer he wanted, he rejoiced.

7

The first pot of ramen they made together came out.

They chattered and commented, finding fault with each other, like the noodle had freaking soaked off to hell, and the savor, however, tasted too salty. Moreover, Naruto didn't do well in chopping vegetables, and Sasuke had actually made this pot of ramen for three, too much for two of them. The imperfection didn't deterred them, nevertheless, yet they ate up all of their meal, exhausted.

Sasuke interrupted him, "We could make it better next time."

Naruto had an idea. He would put away all the cup noodles, except for the ones of golden limited edition, by tomorrow.

They looked up correspondingly on the form pinned on the door. They would hand it in tomorrow.

"Sasuke, " the blond grunted at the clean bowl, not looking at him.

"Yes?"

"I remember now, " he went on, "that you bought dried bamboo shoots, but you didn't fetch me fishcake."

"I like bamboo shoots."

"But I like fishcakes better. " the azure eyes stared at him sincerely. "Next time... for two of us, will you? "

"...okay."

Naruto's lips met his.

Miso taste. Seven years. Their second kiss was still miso taste. Next time, next time it won't be so stupid...

Next time; there will be many a time later on. He eyed up at the form on the back of the door plank—but this, he would only hand in at once. It could be much better off to press it flat, or else he could imagine how Kakashi would laugh at it.

8

Years later, Menma became the Eighth Hokage.

The inauguration went through simple processes, and out of question without panic and dramas like what Naruto had experienced. At last, the Seventh Hokage took off his hokage robe after all, and sat along with Sasuke in the office, looking through the French window.

Great pity you weren't here twenty five years ago. He huddled the raven and whispered softly. When I was here the crowds underneath were larger, look.

Your popularity? What was that all about to me?

That's OK. As long as you welcome me.

Hn.

He nuzzled at the soft raven hair: Sasuke, let's go traveling—Menma had been independent on us. Old age creeps up on us anytime if we don't go now.

You get old yourself; I won't accompany you.

Eh? You don't come along?

No.

But some time I had promised to die with you. That's unfair though!

It serves you right, and I didn't make you feel obliged.

Anyway, I don't think so now. Rather, I just want to live for you.

I'm sure you are that strong to live through a century, or you're fired.

A hundred years?! So another fifty-five years more from now on! It's really LONG; I thought I had lived long—by the way, is fifty-five years long enough for us to travel around the world?

I think so. When shall we go?

Well—maybe next month?

Your baby son would cry over it.

Oh yeah! Help me comfort him, please, Sasuke! Menma looked horrible when he loses temper—

9

Years later, their excursion around the world became slower.

It's natural—two elderly in their eighties, living in the peaceful and war-less era, visited Konoha occasionally at first, but later it's been ten years since they were off that village. They had long been free from daily practicing of ninja jutsus. Once upon a time it occurred to Naruto that he should send a Kagebunshin for purchasing goods, but unfortunately, he tried for times and as a result all his effort was in vain. In the end he vouched for Sasuke to help him.

Sasuke, holding a pinewood stick, strolled down from the stairs in a steady pace. He watched his man shifting over his hands, and calmly he placed them in opposite side. Suddenly, three Narutos appeared in the room.

"The sign for Kagebunshin is quite the opposite way to what you have done, usuratonkachi." the older man explained, taking a sip of tea.

"Oh... oh great! " the other man scratched his head in crimson.

10

That night, they had a clear sense that Sasuke would pass away—

The bedroom was soaked in dim blue, where the moonlight lightened their visages. Naruto placed a chair by the bed, caressing Sasuke's hand and murmured something sensational.

"Naruto...where's he...Menma?

"He is fine...Fine! Don't you remember—he send you a photo of his grandson and boasted over his kid two days before! "

He blinked vaguely. Surely, Menma had been at the age of being a grandfather, I thought he were still a baby...

Naruto stared at him silently, and he was reminded of dozens of years ago, when he sat by the raven's side, gripping at his hands so tightly that morning. After all lots of things start with the same scene, and end in the same way.

"Sasuke..." he stared into the violet Rinnegan, "Do you ever believe there is the reincarnation?"

Sasuke glanced at him in a half smile, seemingly knowing what he was going to say.

"No."

He stretched out his hand stroking Naruto's face. Naruto gazed at him with fixed eyes as he thought he would never tired of looking at him, nuzzling the thin hand gratefully.

"Had I felt any remorse, I should have done it right away, I don't believe in the ever-coming reincarnation." His voice decreased, "...what 'bout ye?"

Tears trickled down through his fingers, which, however, were as young and passionate as ever. The tears for him was the last thing to grow old—the gaze from Sasuke was vague, and he may have not seen me clearly. But I have to say it out. He said, in his tears, I don't believe it, either.

Sasuke huffed in satisfaction.

"Sleep well..." he nuzzled Naruto's earlobe.

"I love you."

"I see ."

"I love you..."

"I see..."

"I..."

"I'm listening..." he heard the blond boy weeping, answered in turn, and closed his eyes, breathing deeply, "I knew it, usuratonkachi..."

Naruto slept through by the bedside. And when he woke up, he saw the gray hair flat on the pillow, in the room there was only his own breath.

He saw Sasuke's left hand rested on the chest, underneath was an shabby headband The cloth had rotted into fibers. The twilight radiated its nuance into the room, reflecting rays like diamonds on the piece of cold medal. He looked through the deep ditch across the mark of Konoha, feeling as if half century passed by, tracing back to the day when he carved down the cut for the first time.

He thought, when did you take it out? He nearly chuckled for his sense of imagination, and felt in front of him all things blurred.

They had welcomed several sunrise in the same bed, but now there was only one of them left. I lost again, he thought, I slept over, and you're gone before me again. —he knew in his flesh a child was taken away as well, and he was no longer able to run to the end of the world. He would moan over in the heavy rain, struggling in the following sequences of tears. His body looked too stern to be true—how come it is, Sasuke, how long you will wait for me. Where I should go to chase after you? Their old hands was in one another, as they did as ever, and warm as ever.

11

Naruto went back to Konoha.

When he was marshaling Sasuke's stuff, he found a small box of ramen tickets. He tipped to the Ramen Ichiraku to fit the end of the queue, and finally he got the ramen made by the great-grandson of Chef Teuchi. The old man of eighty years old sat at the corner, sipping his ramen blissfully. Compared to that in his childhood, what is better is out of question. When he felt full the ramen was still left with quite a little. As he saw the disappointed face of the young chef from the counter, he smiled and apologized. From the similar look of small eyes he saw another man who favoured him with another serving of ramen. Uncle Teuchi, if it were made by you, I would have eaten it up, and wanted more...

Afterwards the box went empty, and gradually he didn't come to the restaurant ever since. He believed it was because of his habit of being thrifty. At times he could see the silhouette of that person in the kitchen, adding fishcakes into the pots, and trying how hard noodles were. Home dishes is the best, he pondered. Menma's family treated him well, and those kids are always lovely and loud , but the conversations were no longer about missions and jutsus.

He visited the rest few of his peers and friends—as an old man in his eighty year-old age, he could sometimes sensed the gaze of people with awe. But as he saw those ones lying on the bed, he came to realize his tenacious blood. Praised by people for his good health, he thought of his mother, thanks to her.

He could still meet some old acquaintances. Neji, with hairs white as his eyes, had his grandsons around; the deep brow, Lee, still felt easy playing with his great-grandchildren; the chattering Shikamaru, who he had thought to be the last man to be not easily tackled, kept asking Shikadei playing chess with him; the man with green eyes and a tiny hourglass, Gaara, visited Temari occasionally... and some passed away, and went to another world where Sasuke had gone one by one.

He placed a string of bell at the grave stone, where there were already another one. He pondered, Kakashi sensei, I was late again, but I didn't get lost on the way of life. Peculiarly as it were, I came into bonding with a teacher without seeing his visage all my life—after all, I could have see you as a decent handsome man. Anyway, I shall have a faith in you for my beloved, and he didn't have a chance to see it as well.

He came across Sakura as well. The woman didn't grow old at all, compared to her peers, revealing in her shallow pink hair as well as her visage. As she followed her sensei 's quotes. She had a scarlet robe as she was wearing before. On the hanger a medical robe hung, and she appeared to be ready for patients all the time. As she saw Naruto strolled from the distance, she momentarily knew what had happened. She frowned. She talked about old times, saying how she had been regarded as a medical god in Konoha. Then she burst into tears, Team Seven, one by one, is passing away. Firstly Kakashi sensei, then Sasuke...

"It's pretty fair." Naruto said, "Look at the two men right there, and here we make a duo. " Some day let's go and beat them. Don't cry Sakura-chan.

Passionate as she had all along been, she grinned at the blond: If it were you, you're certainly capable of living through a century.

A flashback occurred to him, and someone concealing underneath the obscurity of his ego was uttering the same thing. A hundred year is not far off.

12

In the bookstore there all the while settled the biographies telling stories of the Fourth Ninjia War. He took one and swiped away the dust on the cover, and read a few pages—he dare say it should be some anonymity , without ever seeing Uchiha Madara, withering on the latter line who wrote it in his old age. Half truth and half imagination, there were even a number of made names, and two battle gods called Naruto and Sasuke he had never known. He chuckled over the content at the corner of the history book shelf. On seeing this he didn't mind, as the book to some extent described the event of Itachi breaking Edo Tensei precisely. Well that's fine, you've done your best on this job telling a story...I had once a quarrel with the Konoha history consultant, and Sasuke would be happy about it.

In front of the tomb of Iruka, he used Kagebunshin no Jutsu the last time. Thousands of Uzumaki Narutos appeared on the wilderness, flooding the place with bright orange color. He might as well say something, but as he uttered some syllables of sensei 's name , he shut up at last. He stood still, wiping his eyes for the unexpected tears, thinking of the day when the man favoured him the headband, and confirmed him as a real ninja.

He looked up at the bottom of the grand stone wall—Lord First, Second and Third, my dad, Tsunade baachan, Kakashi sensei. Behind his own amusing visage, was Menma's sculpture. They looked so alike that people tended to mistake them both. It was supposed to have a row behind them, but there would be no new sculptures carved up any more. Behind him vines scrambled over the Hokage building, and a crane was moving concretes and cements nearby.

The acrobats played miniature Rasengan in the street, and he stayed aside watching them performing. He frowned and thought, my son could already make bigger ones at twelve. Hn. And he found momentarily , that he sounded like Sasuke.

Sasuke.

13

There was a long silence between them. Finally Menma mumbled, "Where did you settle Sasuke?"

According to what he told me, Naruto said, the remains was burnt, and the dust scattered into the origin of river, that is, the waterfall of the Valley of the End.

"Would you take me for a visit there?"

"He should be very glad."

He gazed at Menma, an old man in his sixty something—it's quite peculiar to see his son grow into an elderly. He compared the sixty-year-old Sasuke and with his son—quite sorry but he had to say Sasuke looked much more beautiful.

"Could I ask, in Sasuke's favour, if you had opened the Mangekyo? " he inquired alertly.

"Ah—no! " he laughed, and resumed, "Sasuke had always asked me that, and it's been a threat to me! —a Hokage, in Uchiha blood, opened three tomoes only, haha!"

Naruto laughed, too, and he felt pity for his lover's beautiful eyes never seen any more.

"...Naruto, I miss him."

"You still miss the bentos he made for you?"

"Right."

"You've been an adult, Menma. It's your turn to cook for him— I'll wash the dishes. "

"But Sasuke does better."

"I know I know."

There was a similar conversation twenty years later.

Menma sent away his wife, an energetic and passionate girl all along. As Naruto first met her, he was reminded of his mother. Though he didn't find such a girl as his mother said, Menma did. Family blood is magical.

After the funeral, he caught Menma sipping wines in the porch of the backyard. He might request him for obeying the ninja's rules, but he then realized ninja the job had barely existed in the world. He had an urge to try if he was still capable of using Kagebunshin again. However he tried, he couldn't think of the hand sign. Left and right hand...which one is in front?

Menma, searching for proper phrases, murmured, Naruto, I'm becoming like what you are.

Naruto answered, what you're talking about, your daddy is here, you might cry before me anytime. It would be a dramatic event seeing two elderly crying together...

Exactly. He turned into grinning. It's our birthday today, dattebayo.

Sasuke has owed us birthday gifts for twenty years round.

Don't you think it's tricky? He could combine two birthday parties into one all along...

Right right. On meeting him again, I'll let him compensate a gorgeous one ...

—Naruto, I can't remember what he looks like.

Don't worry, when you look in the crowd, the prettiest one must be Sasuke.

Come off it. At your forties I've got weary of your boasts...

Oh is it? When Sasuke was too old to be beautiful, I've been incapable of seeing young belles. I think it makes sense.

Yes, exactly, of course.

—Menma,

Hmm?

...What did Sasuke meant for his last words?

What? What did he say?

Naruto stared at the moon blankly. The bamboo tube tinkled, unstopping, spreading the flowing sound over the evening yard.

"No, that's okay." suddenly he grinned childishly. "I'll come to fetch him and ask him in person."

"Naruto...?"

"Menma, don't be too harsh to come along. "

"Naruto, you..."

"If we come together, Sasuke should scold me for not taking care of you well..."the pale moonlight scattered on his figure. It was soft and clean,perhaps it was what Sasuke had been feeling that night...he murmured. He had an illusion of a young boy speaking by his ear. Usuratonkachi. He had long never been called as such. After Sasuke's gone, he had never missed it that much...

"Menma, you may come if you like, but in your own will. " he closed his eyes slowly. "We'll wait there till you come, like we had once been waiting you coming to our world..."

He heard the fox whimpering soundly inside his body.

He said, Kurama, I'm sorry. I locked you here, sending you for silly adventures with me for a century. This time you can go, for a place to rest forever, and don't be taken advantages by anyone anymore...

Distantly, he heard Menma's calling, but the voice was falling behind. Predicable. I even dumped my baby son, and come chasing all my life for you. We are of such a luck. It doesn't matter if there were no reincarnation, and I don't mind, if we fail to meet each other once more.

He saw a figure of young boy wearing a deep blue shirt.

He took a firm grip of the headband along with him, massaging the ditch in it, and decisively, as he always did, with the smile on his face, he took a stride forward.

14

—In the whole world, except Menma and me, no one needs you as who you are.

I knew it.


End file.
